He Lives In You
by ANBUShizuka
Summary: Tsunade grows up realizing that the Will of Fire is passed on and can encompass those around the carriers. Sometimes the flame flickers and dims but somehow, someway, she's always reminded of that day. A moment of growth between Hashirama and Tsunade that transcends time.


_A/N: Because I've never done something for Tsunade and her grandfather, Hashirama. I thought the song "He Lives in You" from The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride fit rather nicely. Please enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated characters, places or events._

[X]

Tsunade sprinted through the tall grass, laughing happily as it nipped at her knees and the sun stung her pale cheeks. Cornsilk blonde hair pulled into a ponytail, the girl jumped forward to roll to a halt on the hill. "See, jii-chan, I told ya I'd win!" She sat up and watched as her grandfather crested above her; his long, onyx-colored hair waved gently in the summer breeze as he smiled down at her. "So, do I get to hear one of your war stories now?" the amber-eyed six-year-old inquired excitedly.

Black eyes grew sad for a moment as Hashirama knelt beside his granddaughter, glancing off into the vast distance. The man, his voice deep but tender, murmured, "Tsunade-chan, war is not everything. Nor is winning or losing." Another gust of wind caught their hair as he tilted his chin up to stare at the sky. The tall grass swayed around them and ushered along the scent of the wild flowers nearby. Senju Hashirama placed a hand on the little blonde's shoulder and gently squeezed. "I lost my dearest friend because of war. And yet...he was also my greatest enemy. Tsunade, battles and wars are horrible things. Yes, they have their times of triumph but does that not mean terrible loss to the other side? Are they not just like us?" Dark eyes grew warm again as he sat and pulled the six-year-old into his lap so that they were facing one another. "Well?"

Contemplatively, the girl muttered, "I guess so. But if the other side wins, that means loss for us too. So, how is there any good ending to war?"

"There isn't," whispered Hashirama. Gently, he took his granddaughter's hand in his- the incredible size of his palm and fingers swallowing her tiny fist- and splayed her hand over his heart. Quietly, he asked, "Can you feel that?"

In wonderment, Tsunade replied, "Yes." Under her palm, the blonde felt a fierce pounding and an incredible heat. Softly, the new graduate questioned, "But it's just your heartbeat, right?"

"No," the elder retorted gently. Stunned, the little Senju stared up at her grandfather. "It is the will of fire. And each and every one of us has it." Then, taking her hand away from his chest, the man pressed her palm back against her own heart. "You have it too. Don't ever lose it, Tsunade-chan. Please."

"Ok," the blonde said. In bewilderment, her amber-brown eyes were locked on the sad, pleading look on the Shodai Hokage's face.

"Promise?" urged the man. He kissed her forehead tenderly, whispering into her pale mane, "Please promise me you'll never lose your will of fire."

Quietly, almost silently, Tsunade cried, "I promise." She had begun crying during the embrace, feeling a dark forboding feeling grow in the pit of her stomach. "I love you, jii-chan..."

[X]

"Tsunade-chan, come here," beckoned the greying woman on the bed. Her once vibrant red hair was now streaked with copius amounts of grey and some hints of white. But, as ever, clever grey-green eyes observed the blonde woman on the other side of the room with an almost supernatural intensity.

"Yes, baa-chan," Tsunade obediently replied. It had been two days. Two days since Nawaki had died. And the blonde was growing colder by the second. She stepped over to her aging grandmother and asked, "What is it?"

"Don't try to fool me, girl, I see right through you," announced Mito. She smiled sadly, "I miss Nawaki-chan too. He was so bright, so full of promise. But you mustn't blame yourself. And you can't worry about him anymore either. Your jii-chan is with him, guiding him through the darkness right now. He's not in pain anymore. Be happy for him. He isn't stuck in a world torn with war and strife." Reaching out, she placed her hand over Tsunade's heart, her palm pressing into the flesh. "It's still there."

"What is?" the near-emotionless jounin muttered.

"Your jii-chan's will of fire," whispered the old jinchuuriki. She grinned at the shock and wonderment that filled her granddaughter's eyes. "It lives on in you, in all of us. You can't let it die, Tsunade-chan."

_"You have it too. Don't ever lose it, Tsunade-chan. Please."_ The words echoed in the blonde's mind as she sat there, motionless, letting her grandmother simply sit there and rest her hand over Tsunade's heart. Wiggling her hand under the older kunoichi's, the amber-eyed female felt the heat and pulse of her heart. "My will of fire..."

"Let it burn, Tsunade-chan. Let it burn bright enough for your jii-chan to see it. So that he knows," Mito whispered gently. "Let him know that he still lives on in you."

[X]

Torrential rain pelted the ground as Tsunade sprinted back towards Konohagakure. Tears stung her eyes, blood smeared her face and body and emotional scars marred her heart. She sobbed with each fleeting step she took, racing back to the village that she had known her whole life. Everyone was gone. And there was nothing left to live for. As her feet made contact with the breach of the massive gates, another set of footsteps joined her own. Looking over her shoulder, the blonde saw the familiar face of her deceased lover's niece. "Shizune!"

"Tsunade-sama, what happened?" cried the girl, "Where is Dan oji-chan?" Her own face, young and innocent to the more sordid things in life, was wrinkled with worry and sadness.

Suddenly angry, the Sannin shouted, "Don't worry about it! You'll find out soon enough!"

A not-quite-heavy force burst against Tsunade's back, knocking her to the ground. Rolling over, the woman glared down at her attacker. Below her, Shizune snarled, "He's dead! I can see it in your eyes! It's written all over your face!" She squirmed beneath the woman who straddled her prepubescent hips and growled, "Stop blaming yourself. He wouldn't want that."

"How do you know?" snapped Tsunade. She was thrown by the girl's uncharacteristic outburst of anger and was desperately grasping at her quickly spiraling sanity.

"Because," Shizune screamed, "he had the same fire in him that you do!" The older kunoichi halted from her move to get up, one hand still beside the raven-haired girl's head as one knee was propped up. Amber-brown gazed down into coal-black and remembered that far-off summer day and her promise. Snatching one of her uncle's beloved's hands, the ten-year-old stated, "You're still alive, you're still warm with the fire that drives us all. Don't let my oji-chan's dream die!" Her eyes were burning with tears as she screeched, recalling the closeness that the older woman's family had, "What about your jii-sama?"

_"Let him know that he still lives on in you."_ The tears fell anew as Tsunade sobbed, falling away from her love's niece. She cried, "I want to leave! Let me go, for just a little while, for the love of kami!" Slender arms wrapped around her neck as the similarly drenched girl hugged the distraught woman.

"Take me with you, Tsunade-sama, please," begged Shizune, "I don't want you to be alone right now. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Ok," whispered Tsunade. "Let's go..."

[X]

"You're one stubborn brat," Tsunade chuckled mirthlessly as she stared down at the sleeping boy. His spiky blonde hair lay against the pillow, azure eyes closed to the hotel room surrounding him. Even though she had already incapacitated Shizune- her heart felt a pang at the fact that she had intentionally hurt the younger woman who cared so deeply for the blonde woman herself- and gotten Jiraiya drunk to the point of damn-near oblivion, Tsunade had returned momentarily to watch over the jinchuuriki. "I know exactly who you are, Uzumaki Naruto. And even though I sometimes don't want to admit it...or feel it...I know that fire still burns within me. Just like it burns in everyone from our clans. You have it too." Placing a hand over the boy's heart, Tsunade felt the fierce pounding and the intense heat from her childhood and felt her grandfather's fire reignite in her own heart. With a resolve she thought that she had abandoned long ago, the blonde woman turned and left the room for the last time and wandered the streets until she found him. "Orochimaru."

"Ah, Tsunade. I'm so glad you could make it. Have you...considered my offer?" hissed the raven-haired snake summoner. His yellow eyes glowered with ill-intent and Tsunade felt the flame burn brighter and fiercer.

"Yes. Let me heal your arms," murmured Tsunade as she extended her hands and gathered her chakra. _"You're still alive, you're still warm with the fire that drives us all. Don't let my oji-chan's dream die!" Her eyes were burning with tears as she screeched, recalling the closeness that the older woman's family had, "What about your jii-sama?"_ The blonde woman felt her resolve harden even more and felt the flame burst in her chest, lighting her from within. '_I promise..._'

[X]

"Shizune," muttered the blonde as she stood in her grandfather's office, gazing out the window at the night-darkened streets of Konoha.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?" The raven-haired woman stepped up beside her former mentor, her smile ever-gentle. Seeing the distant look on the older female's face, Shizune asked, "Remembering something?"

"Yeah; something special," Tsunade sighed softly as a slow smile made its way to her faintly colored lips. She turned to the younger woman and, amber-brown eyes warm with emotion, grabbed her attendant's hand and placed it over her own heart. She murmured, "Do you feel that?"

Blushing slightly, Shizune stammered, "Y-yes..." Then, daring to meet her mistress' eyes, the younger kunoichi asked, "What am I supposed to be feeling? It's just your heartbeat, right?"

Then, Tsunade smiled. She shook her head, "No. It's my will of fire. You have it too." She dropped her hold on Shizune's hand and reached over, rested her palm above the raven-haired jounin's heart. The beat was strong and warm. "Don't let it die, Shizune. Please."

"Ok," whispered the onyx-eyed poison user. After a few more moments of silence, she laughed quietly. "Your jii-sama must be proud of you." She looked out at the village herself and grinned. "You followed in his footsteps."

_"Please promise me you'll never lose your will of fire." _Tsunade grinned too. Quietly, almost silently, she whispered, "I promise..."

[X]


End file.
